HPF M3 loses control at the strip

We just received these videos of an HPF turbo M3 which lost control at the Irwindale 1/8 mile strip and ended up going into the wall. The car looks like it is running bias-ply slicks with radial street tires up front. This may have contributed to the driver losing control as the general rule is not to mix due to instability up top. Additionally, once the car starts to sway it looks like the owner stays in it and then tried to brake too late which causes him to lose it. Hopefully we will have more details on the car and the setup soon.

just curious why is it bad to have slick in back and radials up front?

Different sidewall loads basically.

Here's a quote from Dunlop: "Bias and radial tires have significantly different dynamic properties. They deflect differently, create different cornering forces, have different damping characteristics, as well as other differences.

I think in this case when the load went off the rear slicks, the load transferred onto the front tires which got traction and swerved. The radials are better grip with the sidewalls for turns, thus when getting the load transferred the radial sidewall grabbed and caused the car to swerve alittle. After that its tough to regain unless you really know what you are doing.

Here's a quote from Dunlop: "Bias and radial tires have significantly different dynamic properties. They deflect differently, create different cornering forces, have different damping characteristics, as well as other differences.

I think in this case when the load went off the rear slicks, the load transferred onto the front tires which got traction and swerved. The radials are better grip with the sidewalls for turns, thus when getting the load transferred the radial sidewall grabbed and caused the car to swerve alittle. After that its tough to regain unless you really know what you are doing.

This is all correct, also, bias-ply actually expands and changes shape after the burnout and down the strip and you just don't want to mix them with radials.

Some guys say they get away with it. But then some other guys run into the wall...

There are going to be people like that but who cares. I don't find him anywhere near as retarded as that hpfrob guy though. How many douches have BMW's? Or Mercedes? Or Porsches? Or Toyotas? You can find one in anything. Point is we have a good community, let them have their heads up their asses.

Some guys say they get away with it. But then some other guys run into the wall...

Mixing street radials with slicks or bias ply tires has been a big no-no for decades. I imagine this was simply a lack of experience on the drivers part. I'm pretty sure that was the main issue. From the video it is pretty clear it had to do with weight transfer.

Mixing street radials with slicks or bias ply tires has been a big no-no for decades. I imagine this was simply a lack of experience on the drivers part. I'm pretty sure that was the main issue. From the video it is pretty clear it had to do with weight transfer.

That is another good point, some of the guys running stiffer suspensions definitely don't have setups conducive to weight transfer.

Yes, but I think you almost lost it on a shift due to traction, right? Yours was due to street tires just not having enough traction for the power. Glad you saved it though... it can happen to anyone.

yeah, very different reason, but car has similar results! I had the nitto 555R tires on rear. Very scary going head on into a wall. I dont really get what happened above, was reading...I dont know anything about drag tires and mixing them

yeah, very different reason, but car has similar results! I had the nitto 555R tires on rear. Very scary going head on into a wall. I dont really get what happened above, was reading...I dont know anything about drag tires and mixing them

Well, you were running radials. The problem for you is that you didn't get enough heat into the radial.

Way above everything else, Chris is a brilliant business man. If he can stroke a customer's bruised ego into a turbo upgrade and sell a few $3K LSD kits in the process -- he will...

Will a stronger LSD help? Sure. It'll help prevent the sudden loss of one side's camber thrust and toe caused by one tire spinning (as well as the moment created by unequal forward thrust). But it won't prevent Bias sway, nor will it help when you get out of the groove...

IMO, its better to learn those skills before upgrading because now you've made a faster car that will stay straight longer before getting loose and a driver still unprepared to handle the consequences...